Terms of Use for the World of Vilous and other work by Mick and Kiki

A little introduction

Most of the world has agreed on a set of standards for copyright law, called the Berne Convention. If you want to start learning about copyright in your country or abroad, that is a good place to start. The spirit of copyright law as originally created was to provide authors with a means to earn a living from their work.

The advent of copying machines like the printing press was a blessing for the spread of culture worldwide: anyone with access to those machines could make copies of pre-existing works and distribute them. This distribution was often made for profit and not by the original authors, but if they are not compensated for creating the work that is later distributed, there is little reason for them to continue doing so. Copyright law began as an attempt to bridge this gap and create an incentive for creative people to remain creative, while at the same time keeping their work accessible for the public benefit. This purpose has been perverted over generations, but that's the spirit we tried to preserve when we wrote this document.

Non-profit use of the work

Provided the work is not for profit: fan art, fan fiction, and any other type of fan creation is allowed. Of course, fan creations are not part of the official canon.

Work made freely available by Mick39, for example in her public galleries, can be reposted, collaged, copied or traced elsewhere. Work she has made available through paid venues, like Patreon or art packs, shouldn't be republished; please keep it exclusive as it was meant to be from the start. The same conditions apply to work done by Kiki-UMA.

About the official Vilous logo

According to the ToU, official Vilous artwork that is made freely available by Kiki and Mick (for example in Mick and Kiki's public galleries) can be reposted, collaged, copied, or traced elsewhere. However, the official Vilous logo such as below images is an exception.

Because it is our trademark it is reserved strictly for "official" artwork and other assets. For fan creations, you may use the word "Vilous" or similar, but it is best to not have the official logo used. This is to prevent confusion on what is official work or has direct endorsement.

Use of Fan Creation Logo on Personal Works

About the Fanlogo

The Vilous Fan Creation Logo (or "Fanlogo") is offered as a free service for use by all Vilous fans. This mark indicates that the work is a "fan-work" and can be used for all types of fan creatures related to the Vilous universe. It is not necessary to follow all the official canon guidelines to use the logo, and use of the logo is optional.

This logo was made with the intention of facilitating communication between Vilous fans and to make the activity of creating and sharing Vilous fan works more fun! Consider it a "badge of pride" that you are part of the Vilous community!

How to Use Fan Creation Logo

Sample of use of fan creation logo - Art by Kiki, and each characters belong to Curus, Drakken, Geiv, and Rakakuza, to right from left.

There are four versions of the logo available for use: white, red, black, and gray. They are in PNG format with transparent background. You are permitted to use any of these for your creation as long as the fan-work is related to Vilous. We will not grant permission to alter the design of the Fanlogo, but you MAY change its color to suit your piece.

For-profit use of the work

If one of your productions is based on the world of Vilous, or includes content from Vilous, and it generates over $500 in profits per month, we want to hear from you. Here is the deal: every piece of work is different, something may be tangentially related to Vilous, or it may be heavily based on it. Regardless of which category your work falls in, most likely it would be profitable for you and for Mick39 to do a partnership. We can agree on ways to promote each other, to handle royalties, and to make everything better for both parties. Everyone wins.

About look-alikes or possible transgressions

If you see people promoting species that look similar to those you see on Vilous, please treat them kindly. If you want to let them know their species look similar to Vilous ones, telling them politely is the best way. If they are identical, just let us know through our contact emailcontact email.

With respect to copyright or trademark use or misuse, there's no simple guideline to distinguish an offense from candid usage, that's why every case has to be looked at individually. Please don't act on behalf of Mick or Kiki to defend perceived intellectual property violations, just contact us via emailcontact us via email.

In the end, all we ask from you is to do things in good faith, and if it is not too much to ask, to be polite and fair. We will do our best effort to set the standard by example.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I create a sergal-[some other species] hybrid?

Yes! You may use sergals or sergal-inspired elements for non-commercial use. Please know that a hybrid would not be considered a sergal itself, as it is something new and different, even though it might share some design elements with sergals. We only ask if you would be so kind as to give credit to your inspiration (in this case, sergals) but not call it a "sergal" by name as that would cause confusion.
Example: You have created a sergal-dragon hybrid. Please do not publicly promote it as a "sergal dragon," but something new such as "draggal" or "dergol."